The NBA's reigning two-time MVP LeBron James ended months of suspense and guess work on Thursday by announcing he is leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to sign with the Miami Heat
The NBA's reigning two-time MVP LeBron James ended months of suspense and guess work on Thursday by
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| Big move: LeBron James. pic/AFP |
announcing he is leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers to sign with the Miami Heat.
James' decision to leave his hometown and head south to Florida to play alongside Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh gives the Heat one of the most dynamic power trios in league history.
"The attraction in Miami is being alongside Dwyane Wade and being alongside Chris Bosh. It is a new challenge for myself," James said.
"The major factor was this is the best opportunity for me to win and win now and in the future. The number one thing with me is to help my teammates get better and to win."
James, Bosh and Wade turned professional in the same season and were the number one, fourth and fifth players chosen in the 2003 entry draft.
James ended up in Cleveland, Wade in Miami and Bosh headed north to Canada and the Toronto Raptors.
Wade is the lone one to have won a championship, teaming up with Shaquille O'Neal in 2006 for the NBA title.
The trio also captured gold medals together at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and James is hoping to do the same in Miami.
"Knowing the history of the game. Look at all the teams that won, the Lakers teams, the Piston teams, the Bulls teams, the Celtics teams. It wasn't just one superstar going out on the court and dominating the game and winning an NBA championship," James said.
"When Magic played he had Kareem and Worthy. Jordan was great but he had Pippen and he also had Horace Grant. I could keep on going.
"You become a superstar individually but you become a champion as a team. I understand that and I know the history of this game."
James said he is taking less money to play in Miami than he would have made had he stayed in Cleveland.
"I am not getting the max deal," he said. "The max deal would have been to stay in Cleveland get the six years and get over 120 million.
